She reached out and picked up the potato from the roadside. She was unkempt thin and gray-haired. Along with other beggars, she squatted on the footpath and was busy eating. They were all eating off plantain leaves. The boiled potato from the curry had rolled off her plate and had fallen on the road. She deftly picked it up with her hand and gobbled it. Her eyes brightened as she devoured the food anxiously.

I was watching these beggars finish vast quantities of food in moments. It was obvious that they had not had a square meal to eat for days. Some of them were slyly picking up food and filling up their bags. To ensure their next meal, I thought. They needed food security, indeed.

One by one, they left that place and disappeared into the gathering gloom of the night. Who will feed them tomorrow? I wondered as I watched them leave.

# # # # # # #

There was a strange gust of smell, which hit me as I stood in front of this crowd. It was the strong stench of garbage. It was coming from these young people who squatted on the floor before me. I was standing in the open terrace of a school building. My friend Jai had a ministry to the poor and had called me to take a Bible study for these rag pickers. They earned their living by scouring all the dust bins and collecting plastics and other reusable stuff, and selling them.

I began to teach them a simple Bible story. They were all ears as they listened. Some of them asked simple questions.  Did the father really love the wasteful son so much? one asked as I shared the story of the Prodigal son. Another stood up and posed this query,  Can this be applied for me too? Questions from the heart. Questions, which reflected the deep, hunger these dear ones had for the Word of God. One young man who was lame asked,  Why do you people bother about us, why do you come regularly to share with us?

# # # # # # #

Later on, I sat at home and was lost deep in thought.
There is so much of hunger around us. Hunger, a yearning that is healthy and necessary. Physical hunger, the hunger for food drives people to work, to beg or steal. Hunger for Gods Word is also real. Many are hungering to hear the gospel. Many are yearning to understand the depths of the Word so that they can grow spiritually.

In both cases, there are plenty of resources too around us. A lot of food is there in the world. But for many it is inaccessible, unaffordable and just not available. On the other side, there are people who waste food, as they have no idea of how precious it is.

On the spiritual plane too, I mused, this is true. There are an abundance of candles at some places. But there are others, our brothers too, who are yearning for a glimmer of light. A glimmer of spiritual light to help them overcome the darkness of ignorance.

What should I do? I wondered. I decided to kneel down and pray. Dear Father God! I thank thee from the bottom of my heart for satisfying my hunger. The food that you make available in plenty to me satisfies my stomach. Thy Word, thy spoken word makes my spirit content. Let me be constantly aware of these others who lack the resources to satisfy their hunger. Let me relieve them Lord. Let me share from the bounties you gave me, and give to help them in their hunger, with they help. Let me be a channel for you and feed them Lord with bread as well as with your Living Word. Let this be the prayer Dear Father of all my readers too. In the Name of the Living Word, The Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.